The Summer Workshop: Write, Learn Create!

was made possible through

a National Writing Project/National Park Service Collaboration
Grant.

Educators:
James Davenport, Teacher
Van Sickle Middle School
Karen Flaherty, Teacher
Lincoln Elementary School
Laura Gay, Teacher
Lincoln Elementary School
Katie Richardson, Teacher
Amherst Regional Middle School
Melanie Hankins, Park Ranger
Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Jennifer Zazo-Brown, Education and Youth Coordinator
Springfield Armory National Historic Site

The Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Western Massachusetts Writing Project, and Veterans Education Project joined forces
to launch a summer writing workshop for local youth. Participants
were treated to museum tours, guest speakers, short films, and an
evolution of firearms program with a black powder firing demonstration, all of which served as inspiration for daily writing activities.
Writers also worked in small collaborative groups to discover more
about Shays Rebellion and the failed attack on the Springfield arsenal,
John Browns attempted raid on Harpers Ferry, the introduction of
interchangeability in Civil War production and the journey and lives
of the Armorys diverse workforce.
Today, the Springfield Armory National Historic Site commemorates
the location of the nations first federal armory (17941968), established by George Washington. The site includes historic grounds,
buildings, and the worlds largest historic American military firearms
collection.

Young Writers Oath

Springfield Armory
July 2, 2015
We the undersigned do solemnly swear to continue to grow as
writers and citizens, to support, protect, and defend our right to
freedom of thought, as well as our rights to creatively express
ourselves in writing, research history, and to openly show our
feelings.
We will bear true faith, allegiance, and loyalty to imagination, responsibility, integrity, honesty, quality, and our friends, family,
and country.

Mariel Baez
Martin Luther King Charter School
Edinam Akia Ablordeppay
Veritas Prep Charter School
Timber timber while the skies dimmer
River river while the Connecticut river shimmers

The year is 1500 in Spain

The sword I hold has caused others great pain
I shape history as I ride into war with my sword
I pray O lord

Weapons weapons make people go to heaven

let me live more for I will serve you well

Workers workers women were contributors

O the great stories Ill tell

Armory armory so full of history

Once I go to war

Timber
Elikem Ablrdeppay
Veritas Prep Charter School
Trees are like timber,
Like the Connecticut River slimmer
As when the light gets dimmer
As when the film started by the filmer
As the light get dimmer like the end of
summer
And here comes the worker
Worker comes to worship the armory
Women are hard workers
And they think that armory
Is a little but important than Family

Melissa Rosario
Veritas Prep Charter School
My dad is a police
but he is always polite,
and he always has a gun handy
when theyre robbers in dandy site!

The Rebel Who Was the Hero

Taliyah Cheeks
John J. Duggan Middle School

Bennett Walsh
Bridges Preparatory Charter School

Finally the day where we show that we are sick and tired of these
taxes. Shay and his rebellion showed that the 17th of January 1787,
when they raided the Armory for weapons and power, to show them
we are sick of working our butts off for a little bit of pay. A rebellion
is bad, but in this situation a rebellion is a good thing. Luke Day had
said I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing,
and as necessary in the two political world as storms in the physical.

What I think is symbolic about the museum is all the weapons.

Because they have been touched by millions of people, and some
people have put their blood and sweat into these weapons. And
these weapons are not just powerful in history, they are history
changers. Like the Kentucky rifle almost killed all the buffalos
and the Leman rifles helped end the Indian war, and thats how
powerful they are. And also if you could look into their past you
could see the millions of people who used or were affected by these guns. And also because of guns people have risen to help and
be good during hard times, but also people have felt too much
power. And destroyed not just lives but countries and cities and
governments. And thats why I think they are symbolic.
Veronica Gonzalez
Baystate Academy
I feel like I connect with the Blanchard irregular turning lath.
Because the way the bottom part moves fast, but the leather
tether moves slow reminds me of how a cars rear axle moves
super fast (one spin per hair spin of tire) yet the tires dont move
as fast. This connects with me because I grew up in a garage and
I worked on cars before so it automatically reminded me of myself and home.
The way the gears move perfectly and smoothly is almost graceful

Charley Zuzgo Mapleshade School

It was my 3rd year working as a gun tester and my friend was testing gun powder as I shot my gun. He jumped up in the air and
dropped a gun of gun powder right at that moment the ground the
ground bursted into flames. A man burst into the door and evacuated
everyone as I stared at the burning building. I noticed I just witnessed the Harper Ferry fire.

Shays Rebellion: Hero Wanted For Chaos

Ibramimen Verita
Van Sickle Middle School
Cornwallis, Tustin -- We all know that Daniel Shays stirred up a
rebellion over taxes but was it was a violent one, as it caused people
to die during the Armory Raid. Then again, it was for a good cause.
So hes a hero who caused chaos.
Daniel Shay Hero or Terrorist?
Molly Walsh
Bridges Preparatory Charter School
Because of the merchants demanding to get
paid for the government borrowed which forced
the government to tax their citizen heavily.
That was the whole reason shays rebellion
started. With all the taxes massacre and people
being thrown in jail it was complete havoc and
chaos among the people. Which led to shays
rebellion and the storming of the armory. This
showed the weakness in the government which
led to a stronger federal government. The answer to whether Daniel Shays was a hero or a
terrorist? My answer is neither, he was in the
middle of the two.
Shay helps farmers rise up
Trevian Smith
Van Sickle Middle School
On a cold day in 1787, there was a battle to
the death. When shay lead a rebel attack at
armory in Springfield Mass. The reason for
the attack was to be able to have fairness.

TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY

Richard Moorhouse
M. Marcus Kiley Middle School
For John Brown:
John Brown was a good influence on freeing slaves but then he took it
too far and wanted to give spears to the slaves.
Against John Brown:
John Brown was bad because he cut off peoples hands who had slaves.
Why cut peoples hands off when you can write a petition?
John Brown
Kareem Wedderburn
Veritas Prep Charter School
I would complain to an official who would
understand my case and try to get an explanation of the taxes. It is a true disgrace to
fight in a war for freedom, but still not have
freedom when the war is over.
Shay Helps Farmers Rise Up
Monet Taylor
Van Sickle Middle School
A cold chilling winter day in January, the
Springfield armory was attacked, however it
proved to turn out a very good cause, it prevented unfair imprisonment. Without this
event happening there wouldn't be a constitution.

Harel Broderick
Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School
Caroline DeGrave
Mapleshade School
I think this oath means that they will do their jobs by supporting, protecting, and defending the Government of the United
States against enemies. They want to do their jobs even if they
require really hard decisions.
Beverly Vila
Veritas Prep Charter School
Dear Family,
I would like for you all to come see what is in this museum. This
talks about the wars and the weapons they used in the past, and
the things they have in here, and the type of guns they have here.
LOVE Beverly,
sister and daughter
Kylee Simmons
Birchland Park Middle School
I deeply connect with the sword collection provided by the
Springfield Armory. I am a HUGE Greek Mythology fanatic, so
I have a lasting passion for the types of weapons used in the time
of the Greeks. When I look up at the diverse collection of swords
and daggers, I feel as though I am stepping into the Trojan War.
Various battle scenes swirl and dance around me, leaving me
with that mesmerizing feeling that otherwise comes to me only
when reading. I could spend hours pondering over the swords-questions swimming through my head. Who did they belong to?
What battles were they used in? There is a very rare chance that
these questions will ever be answered, but it is purely thrilling to
imagine. For all eternity, the swords will hang bound in the display case, a great story embedded in the metal. But that is a story never to be known to mankind. A secret, beyond your very
wildest dreams.

June 14, 1966, Nha Trang, S. Vietnam

Sgt. 1C Levi Smith, U.S. Army, SF.
We arrived in Vietnam early in the morning. We were issues
weapons: M16s, AR15s, M60s and sometimes M14s. I got an
AR15, which looks like an M16, but different barrel size. We got
our jungle uniforms and other gear that we would need in the
bush. After we got our gear, we prepared to jump into Kon Tum
Province. We boarded our planes and were in the air for 5
minutes when we began to get shot at. The green light came on
and one by one we jumped out of our C-47. It was 10:00 am, so it
was light out and we could see the enemy clearly and they could
see us. I jumped and was floating down slowly, which was scary
because I was getting shot at. I got shot through the leg. Blood
poured out onto the ground from my leg. I landed and ignored
my wound, even though it hurt like hell. I fired my AR15 at the
enemy who I couldnt really see.
Kieran Loughran
Bishop Dunn Memorial School
...The poor men in a rebellion could not afford a rifled barrel so they
carried non-magazine fed muskets. Officers rode their horses into
battle, wildly swinging their cavalry sabres. A old cowboy stared
down the barrel of a bandits winchester as he reached for his revolver, Troop-Transport tracks rumbled to their camp, unaware of the
mines on the road ahead
Anthony Cintron
Van Sickle Middle School
What stand out the most about Jowells story is that he had to protect
his self. Everyday he was forced to hide so he wont die. And also that
he had to travel on his own with no plane or train. He even walked on
his own.

Ill Rise (Remake)

You may write me down in history
With your evil hid inside,
You may accuse me of the wrong things
Still, like a growing fire ill rise.
Does my fiery temper burn you?
Why are you so blue?
Cause I am filled with confidence
Thats higher than the moon.
So you may curse me under your breath,
You may fill my soul with lies,
And ill rise!
Ill rise!
Ill rise!
You may try to wound and cause me pain,
Push me down and Ill be back again.
Now did you really want to see me down?
With no delight and angered eyes,
Did you want me to create an ocean?
Filled with my woeful cries?
Does my mental strength annoy you?
Dont you see my lack of fear?
Your fiery tongue and your temper,
Will never get me scared.
So you may try your best to push me down
But like the clouds up in the skies,
Ill rise!
Ill rise!
Ill rise!
You may try your best to take my rights
Or anything that I have gained,
Bring forth towards me your way of war
Then you shall receive the same.
- Mario Richards and the students of
the Springfield Armorys 2015 Writing
Workshop

Aaron Cabey
Van Sickle Middle School
German Machine Gun 42: 1942 the MG-42 was created. MG-42
shoots 7.92 mm rounds. Has a RPM of 1350. And the nickname
for this beast is called Hitlers Saw. It had a tripod for shooting
and a bipod for mobility. Carrying the weapon while shooting it
would be a terrible idea as the recoil would make the 42 hard to
handle. The 42 has a belt feed of 100 rounds. Youd pull back the
handle, open the top, load the belt in the 42, then close the top, repull the handle and shread US troops, the red army,, british, and
canadian troops in half. The grip is made of metal with wood on it
and the stock is made of full wood.
Shea Pearson
St. Michaels Academy
Assistant Team:
Yinsong Gao, NPS Academy Intern
Student Career Intake Program
Sara Godin, Student Conservation Association (SCA) Intern
Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Alyck Horton, NPS Centennial Ambassador
Lowell National Historical Park
Kierra Johnson, NPS Academy Intern
Student Career Intake Program
Kalimah Mustafa, Groundwork Somerville, SCIP Assistant
Student Career Intake Program
Mario Richards, Volunteer-in-Parks (VIP)
Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Frank Sicignano, NPS Academy Intern
Springfield Armory National Historic Site

T44E4 speaks to me. Sleek long barrel. Semi-Automatic meaning I can fire as fast as my finger can pull the trigger. Its a perfect mid-range weapon. It might as well have awesome written
all over it.
I like this specific type of rifle because personally its the best